Agitator



1950 SOLOMON 2,518,196

AGITATOR Filed Aug. 22, 1947 INVENTOR.

Lou's SOLOM on iBY f A TTORNE).

Patented Aug. 8, 1950 AGITATOR Louis Solomon, Jamaica, N. Y.

Application August 22, 1947, Serial No. 770,145

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to an improvement in agitating devices such as are employed in conjunction with drums or similar containers which are used in the handling of paint and similar materials and in which the need for stirring or mixing the contents of the drum is necessary.

Normally in the use of agitatin devices, the bunghole cap is removed and a stirring handle is operatively connected to the top of the stirrer which extends part way out of the bunghole for this purpose. It is essential that the upper end of the stirrer be maintained in a positive manner in the bunghole at all times so that there is no possibility of the stirrer being displaced from the bunghole and of dropping into the interior of the paint drum. Even during the interval of time necessary to connect or disconnect the handle to the stirrer it is desirable that the upper end thereof be positively maintained against any such displacement.

It is an object of this invention to provide means whereby the upper end of the stirrer is positively maintained against displacement from a position within the bunghole at all times during the use of the drum including not only the time when the bunghole is closed but also the time when the bunghole is opened and the upper end of the stirrer is raised to connect or to disconnect the stirring handle. If during the operation of connecting or disconnecting the stirring handle, the stirrer blade should slip from the hand of the operator as it may well do because of the paint, by means of the improvement of the present invention the stirrer blade will still be maintained within the bunghole and will not slip down into the drum.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description thereof taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a vertical cross section of a drum showing the agitator in place therein;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the bunghole assembly in the top of the drum;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view showing the relation between the bunghole cap and the upper end of the stirrer blade;

Figure 4 is a bottom view of the, parts shown in Figure 3, as taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a plan view of a portion of the top 01' a drum showing the open bunghole and a modified form of supporting means for the agitator blade;

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view of the bunghole and a portion of the top of a drum with the stirring handle connected to the agitator blade In the drawings a drum is shown at It) having the stirrer or agitator blade I I which is adapted to be rotated in the usual manner by means of a handle I2 which is inserted Within a hole [3 formed in the upper end of the stirrer, as is most clearly shown in Figure 7.

In the top Id of the drum Ill there is. provided a hole within which an internally threaded bunghole fitting of the type shown at I5 in Figure 2 or of the type shown at I6 in Figure 6 is secured in place. It will be noted that each of the bunghole fittings I5 and I6 have a top flat surface I1 and when the externally threaded bunghole cap i8 is screwed in place in the bungholefittings, a washer It acts as a seal between the surface I! and the undersurface 20 of the cap I8 entirely surrounding the threaded hollow plug portion |8a of the same, thus forming an air tight joint. It will be noted that a slot 2| has been cut diametrically through the annular wall of the threaded plug portion I8a of the cap I8, for a purpose to be described, but this slot is out only to and not beyond the under surface 20 so that the surfaces I1 and 20 with the washer I9 therebetween can form an air tight joint for the drum.

The edge of the opening in each of the bunghole fittings I5 and I6 is preferably rounded, as at 22, to provide an annular seat for a supporting member 23 secured to the upper end of the stirrer blade II. The member 23 preferably consists of a transversely extending metal bar slotted as at 24 to receive therein the upper end of the stirrer blade II, the blade being retained in the slot 24 by means of a rivet 25 or the like. Each opposite end of the bar 23 is undercut as at 26, 26, the bar being of such length that while the undercut portions 26, 2 6 fit within the bunghole fittings, the ends of the bar rest upon the rounded edge surfaces 22 of the openings in the fittings and prevent the bar 23 from passing therethrough. Accordingly it will be apparent that the bar 23 fastened transversely across the top of the stirrer blade ll effectively serves as a support for the blade to prevent the same from passing through the bunghole fittings I5 or I6.

The slots 2| in the bunghole cap I8 embrace the supporting bar 23 in such manner that the cap may be readily threaded into the bunghole fitting with the bar 23 extending transversely thereof. Since the ends of the supporting bar 23 resting on the rounded edges 22 of the bunghole fitting do not extend beyond the washer IS, the bar 23 does not interfere with the sealing action of the cap l8 when it is screwed into place. It will be noted with respect to the arrangement illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 that since the bar 23, is embraced by the diametrically opposed slots 2| of the cap, the bar 23 andthe associated stirrer blade l;l Qwill turnrwith thecap it when the latter is threaded into the bunghole fitting.

In Figures 5, 6 and 7 there is shown a modified arrangement in which the supporting bar 21' is centrally apertured, as at 28, for projection therethrough of a beaded pin 29 whichisfi gedly secured to or formed as an integral element of the stirrer blade, the bar 27 being thus rotatably secured to the upper end of the stirrer blade I I. In this modified construction it will be noted that while the bar 21, being disposed within the slots.-2 |i,.will turn with the cap l8,the bar 211 willrbe free to rotate relatively to the stirrer blade H, in consequence of which the latter may remain stationary within the drum-as the closure cap. unis threaded intoor out of the -bunghole fitting.

In the use of the deviceherein described the transversely extending supporting bar 23 -(of Figures 1.to 3) or 2:! (of Figures 5 to '7) being 0f greater length thanthe diameterof the bunghole. .opening, prevents the stirrer blade from dropping downwardly intothedrum. By virtue of thefact'thatthe endsof the supporting bar are. nested: within the diametrically opposed slots z jqllwformed in the closure cap I 8, the supporting bar does .not interfere with the closing ofthedrumnor withthe. proper sealing thereof. When .the cap is removed and itisdesired to insertthe. arm [2 in. the opening. 13 in thestirrer blade, the. suppo ting bar. of either form shown andidescribed, remains in place and does.not-

interiere .with the usual lifting of thestirrer blade sufficiently for this. purpose and if by chancejthefstirrer blade should slip, out ofthe hand .of the operator, the .supporting-barimmediately .assumes. a. position extending trans.- versely of the bunghole fitting to prevent .the stirrer blade from dropping into. the. drum.

a stirring blade adapted to be disposed with the uppenend thereof within the opening of said 'fittin'g, and supporting means for said blade nonre mvablysecuredtp the upper end thereof in the form of a transversely extending bar having undercut ends adapted to engage the peripheral upper edge of said fitting to prevent said blade from droppingintosaid container, said..supporting .bar being.disposedwithinsaidebunghole with the upper .edgethereof substantially'fiushwith. the. upper edge of. saidfitting andwith its. inter mediate Lbody: portion. adapted toafit withinlthe slot insaidncap.

2. A container as set forth in claim 1 in..which said supportingbar, .said. blade and saidrcapcmove in unison relative to said fitting a'ssaid .cap is turnedlrelativelyio said fitting.

\ 3. A. containeras set forth. in..claim 1. inwhich said supporting bar is..rotatably securedtosaid bladeso that said barand said cap.moveiin unison. relative tosaid. fitting andv relative. to. said blade.

LOUIS SOLOMON.

.fiEEER NGES CITED The following references are of recordin the file or this patent? mea d r-Ares teaser Number Name Date 2,022,711 Farrington Dec..3, 1935 2,137,432 ,Wilson .et a1. Nov. .22, ,1938' 2,146,372 .Ingraham Feb. 7, 193,9 

